Thirty-three Colombian soldiers, held captive for three consecutive days in a remote village in the southeast Amazon region, have finally been released, the country’s Office of Justice confirmed on Friday.
The incident occurred after clashes between the soldiers and guerrilla fighters on Monday. Local villagers reportedly blocked roads to prevent the soldiers from leaving, effectively holding them in the area for several days. The Colombian government, led by Gustavo Petro, described the event as a direct case of abduction.
Iris Marin, head of the Office of Justice’s Human Rights Department, told social media platform X that the soldiers are now leaving the village safely and are unharmed.
Sources: The New Zealand Herald, France24